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C. H. GRAMBS.

GAR GDUPLING.

Patented Sept. 8, 1885.Y

(No Model.)

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at the end of this specification.

UNITED STA-TES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. GRAMBS, OF NORTH ABINGTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY, PA.

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SPECIFICATION forming par?. of Letters Patent No. 325,798, dated September 8, 1885.

' I Application tiled July 16, 1585. (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ,CHARLES H. GRAMBs, of North Abington township, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Gar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following` to be a full, clear, and eX` act description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

`My invention relates to that class of carcouplings known as automatic couplings, and has for its object to provide a device that will couple the cars automatically when they are brought together, and which can be uncoupled without the necessity of the brakeman or operator going between the cars; and to this end it consists in certain novel details of construction, which I willnow proceed to de scribe, and point out particularly in the claims In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is alongitudinal sectional View of a draw-head constructed in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2 is a topplan view with the top of the draw-head removed. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the gripping-jaws.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

`Heretofore the objection has been made'to the use of automatic couplings that, as some eXtra mechanism was necessary in their con-l struction, the weight was increased so that two or three men could only with difficulty lift and apply one of them to a car when forany reason one became broken or injured in any way; and one ofthe objects of my invention is to provide for the ready application and removal of the portion of the draw-head carrying the operative parts by making it separate from the shank or portion bearing the spring-bumpers, as shown in the drawings, in which A represents the forward portion of the drawhead containing the coupling mechanism, constructed with a chamber containing the operating parts, and provided at its rear end with a dovetailed socket or recess, B, for the reception of the correspondingly-shaped head of the shank portion C, and provided with a plate, B', adapted to be secured by vtiontoo far in either direction.

bolts over the recess and to confine the end of the shank therein, as shown; The portion O is made either round or square, provided on its outer end with the nut C', and is inserted` through the plates D E, the former provided with the bolts d d, preferably four in number, projecting from the forward plate D through the rear plate, E, and having the springs e e encircling them and abutting against the plates, as shown. The plates D and E are adapted to engage with the lugs D and E', secured on the carframe, and thus take up the shock when the draw-head is moved in either direction, as will be readily understood.

The operative parts of the coupling are inelosed within the portion A of the.drawhead, and consist, broadly stated, of a device for supporting the couplingelink in horizontal position, or nearly so, a device such as a pin for holding the link and preventing its withdrawal, and suitable springs so disposed as to effectually take up all shock and prevent the breakage of any of the operative parts.

At its upper forward end the portion A is provided with a shaft or roller, F, and to this .shaft or roller is eccentrically pivoted the coupling-pin G. The shaft is further provided with a handle, G', and when rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow the pin will be raised and the coupling-link released, suitable stops being provided for preventing its rota- A small spring, m, bearing-upon the roller or shaft prevents-its accidental movement, and a small thumb-screw, m', is also provided for tightening this spring, when desired.

4'Ihe coupling-pin G-ismade in two sections, 'i

g g', hinged together,so that its lower portion, g,can move into the positionindicated by the dotted lines, Fig. l, when the link is inserted constructed with its face cut away, as shown,

toward each end, bearing upon each other near the center and having the slot-s h in their forward ends for the accommodation of the coupling-pii1 and the rib or lug h on their outer sides, as shown. These jaws are placed within the chamber in the draw-head from IOO the side with their slotted ends forward, and the ribsHl in the cut-away portions or recesses I I in the upper and lower walls of the chamber, as shown.

A spring, J, of rubber or metal, is inserted between the rear ends of the jaws,whicl1 tends to bring their forward ends together, so as to close upon and hold the link when inserted between them.

rIhe rear ends of the jaws abut against a plate, K, near the rear of the chamber, and behind this plate is a spring, L, either ot' metal or rubber,operating to prevent violent shocks to the jaws when the coupling-link is inserted forcibly. The ribs on the jaws prevent the movement of the latter too far in either direction.

When the link from the approaching car enters the draw-head,it strikes the pin G and moves its lower section backward against the tension of the spring. As soon as it has passed the end of the pin the latter drops down into it, and its lower end,coming in contact with the mouth of the draw-head, pre- A vents the withdrawal of the link. Vhen, now, it is desired to uncouple, the handle G is turned in the direction of the arrow, and the pin will be raised and permit thc link to be with drawn Vhen it is desired to couple with another car,thelink is inserted between the jawsH H, and the spring will cause them to grip it tightly and hold it substantially level, so that, as the cars come together, it will be inserted in the draw head ofthe approaching car.

The top of the casing covering the upper end of the coupling-pin and the shaft to which it is pivoted may be made removable and hinged to the main portion, so that if'any part of the mechansim should become broken or misplaced ready access can be had to it to repair or adjust it.

It is obvious that my improved coupling can be applied to freight as well as passenger cars, and that a rod can be attached to the handle G to operate it from the side of the car, or that a cord or wire could be attached to the handle and be operated from the top of the car, all as will be readily understood.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the swinging coupling-pin, of the pivoted gripping-jaws and the spring for closing said j aws, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the swinging coupling-pin, of the pivoted gripping-jaws slotted for the accommodation of theicoup- 1ingpin and the' spring for closing said jaws, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the jaws, the spring for closing them,the coupling-pin made in two parts hinged together, and means for raising the latter, substantially as described.

4. In an automatic car-coupling, a drawhead made in two parts united by a dovetail connection, substantially as described.

5. In an automatic car-coupling, a drawheadrrmade in two sections, the forward one containing apparatus for coupling cars automatically and the rear section formed into a shank, said sections being connected removably together, whereby the forward section may be removed and another substituted without removing the shank, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the two jaws constructed with the slot-ted forward ends and the ribs or projections on their outer faces, of the spring between the rear ends of said jaws, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the two gripping jaws, the spring between their rear ends, and the spring L, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the coupling-pin, of the roller or shaft upon which it is pivoted, and the spring bearing upon said rolle-r or shaft to prevent accidental movement, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the coupling-pin made in two sections hinged together, of the spring for operating upon the lower section Ito keep it normally in position, substantially as described.

l0. The combination, with the couplingpin made in two sections hinged together and eccentrically pivoted upon a shaft or roller, and a spring operating to keep the lower portion of the pin in position, the gripping-jaws and the spring between them, substantially as described.

CHARLES H. GRAMBS. NVitnesses: 1

E. L. WHITE, A. S. STEUART. 

